Practical AI help for York and North Yorkshire businesses 03300 43 44 45james@4.agency

AI consultancy for UK small businesses

Practical, safe AI for small businesses.

From someone who has run one since 1989. We find the jobs AI can take off your team's plate, set up the tools, write down how to use them and train your people. No jargon, no hype, no expensive custom software.

In person across York and North Yorkshire. Remote anywhere in the UK.

AI Quick Scan Sample report extract

Seafront guest house, 9 rooms, 4 staff

TaskNowWith AI
Replying to booking enquiries5 h/wk1.5 h/wk
Answering online reviews2 h/wk30 min/wk
Seasonal staff induction2 days½ day
Weekly social posts3 h/wk1 h/wk

Risk found: staff pasting guest details into a free chatbot. Fix in week 1.

Illustrative figures showing the kind of findings a Quick Scan produces.

Most small businesses know AI matters. Few know where to start.

Too much noise

New tools launch every week. It's hard to tell what's worth paying for and what's hype.

Hidden risk

Staff are often already using free AI tools with customer data, with no rules in place.

Nothing sticks

Without written procedures, a tool gets tried once and forgotten. The process has to come first.

How we work

Four steps, in this order

  1. 1

    Understand

    We learn how your business runs today: the processes, the tools and where the time goes.

  2. 2

    Prioritise

    We pick the few changes that save the most time or money for the least effort and risk.

  3. 3

    Set up

    We configure the tools, build the templates and prompts, and write the procedures.

  4. 4

    Embed

    We train your team, check back after 30 days, and keep things current if you want ongoing support.

Services and prices

Fixed prices. Clear finish lines.

Every package has a written scope agreed up front, so you know exactly what you're getting and what it costs.

Start here

Free AI Chat

Not sure where to start? Talk it through.

Free 30 minutes, video or phone

Tell me how your week goes and I'll give you three things you can try straight away. No sales pitch, and an honest answer on whether you need paid help at all.

Best for: owners who are curious about AI but short on time.

Book a free chat

AI Quick Scan Most popular

Find the hours AI can give back to your week.

£295 90 minutes, report within 5 working days

We walk through how your business runs, then you get a short, plain-English report you can act on the same day.

  • Your top five time-savers, with the hours each could save
  • The risks, including how staff use AI today
  • Your first three steps

Guarantee: if we don't find at least 5 hours a week you could save, you don't pay.

Best for: small teams who want a clear starting point without a big commitment.

Book a Quick Scan

AI Health Check

A clear AI plan for the whole business.

£795 to £1,250 half to full day, on site or remote

We sit down with you and your key staff, map how the work really gets done, and give you a roadmap you can follow.

  • Every main process reviewed
  • Opportunities ranked by value and effort
  • A data protection and AI risk review
  • A 30, 60 and 90-day plan with costs

Best for: businesses ready to make AI part of how they work.

Book a Health Check

Put it to work

Safe AI Use Pack

Protect customer data before it ends up in a chatbot.

£495 to £795 policy, staff guide and briefing

If your staff use free AI tools, your customers' details may already be going places they shouldn't. This puts sensible, written rules in place.

  • An AI policy written for your business
  • A one-page do's and don'ts guide for staff
  • A register of your AI tools, risk-checked
  • A staff briefing session

Best for: any business that holds customer or guest details.

Ask about the pack

Quick-Win Setup

Fix the job that eats your week.

£1,500 to £3,000 usually 2 to 4 weeks

Pick the task everyone dreads, like quotes, enquiries, reviews or the inbox. We make it faster with AI from start to finish, then measure the time saved.

  • Tools set up in your own accounts
  • Templates and prompts built for you
  • A step-by-step procedure
  • Your team trained, plus a 30-day check-in

Best for: owners who know exactly where the pain is.

Talk about your quick win

Documentation Sprint

Get it out of people's heads and into writing.

£1,500 to £2,500 procedures, handbooks, guides

If only one person knows how things work, you're exposed every time they're off. We use AI to write your procedures quickly, then check every one with your team.

  • Written procedures and checklists
  • A staff handbook or training guides
  • Everything signed off by your team

Best for: businesses taking on seasonal staff, growing, or planning to sell.

Plan a sprint

Staff Workshop

Get your team confident with AI in half a day.

£450 to £750 half a day, on site or remote

Hands-on training built around real tasks from your business, so people leave knowing what to use, how to use it, and what to keep out of it.

Best for: teams who have the tools but aren't getting much from them.

Book a workshop

Keep it going

AI Partner monthly support

Someone to call on, without hiring.

A monthly check-in, your policies and tools kept up to date, one new improvement each month and a short monthly report. Three months minimum, then month to month.

EssentialStandardPlus
Per month£350£550£750
Hours includedup to 3up to 4.5up to 6
Staff questionsEmailEmail and callPriority

Prices exclude any AI tool subscriptions, which stay in your name. We'll tell you the likely cost before you commit.

For hotels, guest houses and B&Bs

Guest-Ready AI

Built on the Yorkshire coast for hotels, guest houses and restaurants from York to Whitby. Set up in about two weeks, so you're ready before the season.

£1,950 setup optional support £395/month

Ask about Guest-Ready AI
  • Enquiry and booking replies drafted in your house style, and checked by you before sending.
  • Review responses for TripAdvisor, Google and booking sites, drafted in minutes.
  • Social media, with a month of posts planned and drafted in one sitting.
  • Staff procedures manual, so seasonal staff get up to speed faster.
  • Safe AI rules, so guest data stays protected.

Safety built in

Your data stays yours

Every package is delivered with a cyber security mindset. We check each tool's data settings, recommend business accounts that don't train on your information, and put clear rules in place for your staff.

A person always reviews what AI produces before it reaches a customer. You own the accounts, the templates and the procedures, and there's no lock-in.

James Cowan, founder of 4 Agency

About

Hello, I'm James Cowan

I've run my own technology and telecoms business since January 1989. In that time I've seen plenty of "next big things". Some changed everything, and most didn't. AI is one that matters, and small businesses stand to gain the most from it.

During the pandemic I requalified as a business analyst and added cyber security qualifications. Today I build AI-driven products for the hospitality industry. So when I recommend something to you, it's because I use it myself.

I work with owner-run businesses of roughly 2 to 50 people, from hotels and guest houses to trades, retail and professional services.

  • 1989 Self-employed in technology and telecoms since
  • BA Qualified business analyst
  • Cyber Security qualified

Questions

Frequently asked

Do we need to be technical?

No. If you can use email, you can use the tools we set up. Every setup comes with written, step-by-step procedures and training.

Which AI tools do you use?

We use whatever suits you, often the ones you already pay for, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. We also work with tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, plus automation tools. We recommend business accounts that keep your data private.

Is our data safe?

Safety is part of every package. We check each tool's data settings, put rules in place for staff, and make sure a person reviews anything that goes out to customers.

How much will the tools cost?

Often very little extra. Where there is a cost, we'll tell you before you commit, and the subscriptions stay in your name.

Can you come to us?

Yes, across York and North Yorkshire, including the coast. Everywhere else in the UK, we work by video call.

Do you build custom software?

Not within these packages. We use proven tools you can keep running yourself. If you need something bespoke, we'll quote for it separately or point you to the right people.

Book your free 30-minute AI chat

Call, text or email with a little about your business. If I can't pick up, I'll come back to you within one working day to arrange a time.

Phone

03300 43 44 45

Mobile

07788 881485

Email

james@4.agency

Covering

York and North Yorkshire

Working

In person across the region, remote UK-wide